A while ago when Rossi decided to leave Honda, Honda understandably tried to keep him by explaining he was leaving a team with the most resource and the best factory bike.
Rossi replied "The rider is far more important than the bike!"

Mmmm, I would have thought it was a definite combination but as a response I give you Rossi's whole time at Ducati and this years M1 results in the wet...

* Last updated by: yannih on 10/16/2017 @ 9:54 AM *

Rossi looked pretty damn good today and the Yammi's did well on P Island. Honda and Yammi only bikes in top 5 so they must be favored on this type of track. Seemed like lots of high speed turns and tight shit and only one HP straight. Ducaccie's HP vs Yammi/Honda handling .... track reminded my of Laguna Seca in NoCal. The alien is just in a realm of his own. Great race to watch!

Yannih , did you forget that Rossi won his first race on the M1 AND the title in his first year on the bike?
And that year M1 was universally thought to be a piece of crap.
As far as Phillip Island, great, great race. Nice to see the MotoGP class behaving like a Moto 3 race.
For an old fart Rossi still belongs as one of the Aliens...period.

Mad

Yannih , did you forget that Rossi won his first race on the M1 AND the title in his first year on the bike?
And that year M1 was universally thought to be a piece of crap.

Mad, you may need to check up on your history and facts a little.

Granted the early 2004 Yamaha M1 did not match the Honda, but a combination of Rossi and Burgess's solid work and feedback pre season gave the engineers a challenge to improve the bike. And to their credit improve it they did!
It is now well known that by that seasons first MotoGP race the Yamaha was the package to beat.

So Rossi certainly deserves huge credit for his part in getting the M1 to a solid package, but definitely NOT for winning the first 2004 race and World Championship on "a piece of crap".

Why do Rossi fans defend him so blindly for anything and everything?
The guy is human.
He makes mistakes like all of us. There's no issue with that.
Just because he is the best the world has ever seen at his chosen profession doesn't preclude him from getting it wrong.

At the podium riders press conference at Phillip Island after a strong second place in an amazing and very aggressive race, Rossi said

"This is the game. If you want to play - it's like this... If not, you have to stay at home."

Great comments.
But where was this mindset back in 2015 at Sapang onwards where he lost his marbles and threw away his 10th World Championship?
He got that very wrong.

So why is it so hard to just admit that and move on?

* Last updated by: yannih on 10/24/2017 @ 1:18 AM *

Uh. maybe you need to check your facts too. That years M1 was understood to be a very flawed bike. Burgess and crew decided that the year would be a rebuilding one to get the bike working in a good way. Rossi insisted that he would try to win on it. And he did. I agree that Rossi apparently went insane during the 2015 season. I understand you just not liking him but I certainly appreciate his work and talent.

Mad

I agree that Rossi apparently went insane during the 2015 season. I understand you just not liking him but I certainly appreciate his work and talent.

Then we are on the same page Mad...

This ones for you, Yannih...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A33jrRWEMBU

Thanks Hub.

Here's hoping for a great final race in Valencia this weekend and may the best man win the title...

* Last updated by: yannih on 11/10/2017 @ 5:08 AM *

Spoiler alert.....

If you haven't seen the Valencia MotoGP Championship decider by now you are just not serious about it.

It's one thing to make these saves in practice and qualifying but to do it in the final deciding race for the MotoGP Championship is levels above again.

No one in the history of motorcycle racing can do what this kid can do.

If he stays healthy he will destroy the record books and surpass all rider / championship records that currently exist and that includes the beloved Valentino Rossi.

A very special breed and currently the best in the world by far.
Insane talent...

* Last updated by: yannih on 11/14/2017 @ 9:02 AM *

Wasn't that his second save of the weekend? That or I seem to recall the same MO. He could perfect that move. 2017 wise, I'm at some yammie site and made my predictions early in the season. I said that someone in the yammie camp is going to take the big one. The other was that Lorenzo will be a problem if he can steer that thing. The other was to watch out for Zarco.
As you recall, mid season Mav was in the points hunt. The rains came and there went the tires beginning to spin up with that fixed ECU. Then at the end of the season; Zarco began his move and Lorenzo lead some and landed on the podium. So to see 5 and 99 in the last race (see photo above), I wish I had money on those odds.

So did you see who was fastest today in practice? Too little too late.

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/14/2017 @ 12:12 PM *

Excellent video choice Hub!Thanks man.

rubbing is racing. if you can't stand the heat, you know...

Here here Rook.
I agree with you completely.

But watch out for those Valentino Rossi lovers!
There are plenty and will come after you for saying the slightest negative against their man...

I was watching thinking "why would they let anyone get away with that??" not once but twice. Hard charging aggressive is one thing but out of control dangerous because the SOB stalled his bike at the start is entirely different. Driving reckless to the point of crashing other riders I cant support, unless they go to full contact combat style racing, which is a different race al together.

Hard charging aggressive is one thing but out of control dangerous because the SOB stalled his bike at the start is entirely different.

The problem with what Marquez did was he tried to overtake in a corner where there was NO ROOM AT ALL.
He easily could have passed Rossi later in the lap, no question. It doesn't matter if , in your opinion, Rossi was too slow. It's the responsibility of the guy making the pass to do it safely. Some people are comparing it to Rossi and Sete back when. In that case Sete left a huge opening to the inside of the track. Rossi made the move. An extra component was, in that race it was the last lap, last corner. Marquez had a reputation in Moto2 for doing things like this. I thought he was over it. I suspect the stall, the ride through penalty and the conditions affected his judgement. He's still young, still learning.

Mad

"This is the game. If you want to play - it's like this... If not, you have to stay at home."

I don't condone what Marquez did.
But Pedrosa is again injured and having surgery due to an aggressive move yet again from Zarco.
And not a word about that...

Rossi made his name with aggression and taking no prisoners.
And that inevitably involves getting it wrong sometimes.
It's part of every MotoGP rider trying to win at virtually all costs and no one can be a champion without that attitude.

Suck it up, shut your mouth, do your speaking on the track and get on with it.

And if you don't like it, get out...

* Last updated by: yannih on 4/11/2018 @ 8:22 AM *

Im gonna agree with Mad Dog. VR was on the apex and MM drove into him. It wasn't just aggressive, which is fine, it was intentionally reckless and they are both lucky that one or both didn't get hurt bad or killed. I think MM was intentionally trying to intimidate VR so he would move off and MM could get by, but he held the apex line and MM caused him to crash. I think MM acqknowledge this with the "oh shit I'm sorry" wave back as VR was crashing. If the racing authorities allow this without sanctions/penalties to MM maybe next race the racers can all just start crashing into their targets on the front straight, why wait for a turn when you can get er done early?

Mad Max is cool to watch but its a frickin movie.

* Last updated by: cruderudy on 4/11/2018 @ 7:48 PM *